Written By Your Juvent Team
In an increasingly mobile-centric society, maintaining joint health has never been more important. Our ability to move about freely has become a fundamental aspect of independence and living a fulfilling life at any age. As we get older, the wear and tear on our joints can lead to limited mobility, pain, and discomfort. However, there are proactive steps we can take to preserve or regain our joint health and ensure mobility well into our golden years.
The Importance of Joint Health
As the vital connectors that facilitate movement within our bodies, joints are essential for walking, running, dancing, and engaging in countless other physical activities. With those activities comes natural wear and tear. Combined with aging, discomfort and reduced mobility can become an issue. Maintaining an independent lifestyle and relieving pain can be accomplished with proper joint health.
11 + 1 Tips for Joint Mobility
- Regular skeletal exercise is crucial to maintaining healthy joints. This can include low-impact exercises like using a low-frequency vibration plate, and walking to strengthen the muscles around the joints - providing support and stability. Tip - Make sure not to walk in running shoes. While running shoes protect your joints from high-impacts, they can also decrease important micro-impacts that your body and bones need.
- Cardiovascular exercises like swimming and cycling will keep your heart healthy and promote overall health and endurance.
- Get enough sleep: The night is when your body regenerates. If you or your partner snores or stops breathing for extended periods it is time to get a sleep study.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Knees and hip joints can be put under a lot of stress due to excessive weight.
- Improve Flexibility and Balance: Activities such as yoga and stretching can improve the joints’ range of motion and prevent stiffness.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water will provide lubrication for the joints, which reduces friction and pain.
- Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish are all anti-inflammatory foods that can also help with alleviating joint pain. Bone health supplements, like Juvent’s HydroxyBMD2, may also be included in the diet to help reduce inflammation.
- Wear Proper Footwear: Having the correct pair of shoes can go a long way in protecting the joints, especially when engaging in physical activities.
- Warm Up and Cool Down: Before jumping into any exercises, be sure to warm up the muscles and joints. Similarly, an appropriate cool-down routine will assist with muscle recovery.
- Avoid Prolonged Sitting: Extended periods of immobility can wreak havoc on the joints. By periodically getting up and moving, joint flexibility can be maintained.
Bonus Tip - Listen to the Body: Avoid injury. When we were younger recovery might have taken days, but as we age this time can increase to weeks, months, and even years. Pain is a natural signal that something is not right. Experiencing joint pain while performing an activity may indicate a need for rest, recovery, or even a visit to the doctor.
Finding a Balance for Joint Health
As we move into an exciting future full of technological advancements, we must never take our natural mobility for granted. Overall joint health is the cornerstone of active, independent lifestyles, especially as we age. By simply adopting a proactive approach to joint health - which includes staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, improving flexibility, and nurturing our bodies through proper hydration and nutrition - we can safeguard our joints and ensure a future that is filled with vitality and happiness.
Keep in mind that every step you take today is an investment in your mobility for tomorrow. Join the Regeneration Revolution and check out our selection of Juvent Micro-Impact Platforms to promote bone health, alleviate pain, and maintain a healthy range of motion with age.